Dragonball: A Lonely Place of Dying
by John Christians
Summary: With his father gone, Son Gohan questions his own life and family, as an old enemy of Goku looms on the horizon. *ONGOING*


Standard disclaimer, I do not own Dragonball Z/GT or any of its related characters. This is purely a non-profit work, for the enjoyment of those that are kind enough to read my work.  
  
Author's Note: This story is a bit of a prelude to Dragonball: After Earth. It involves the same characters, to an extent, though the focus is different. Yeah the prelude is a bit mushy, but it's all about the set-up after all.  
  
  
Dragonball: A Lonely Place of Dying  
By Blood Wraith   
  
Prelude  
  
The crash in the next room caused Gohan to wince. Another piece of furniture or vase or some such thing broken it seemed. He heard the voices of his wife, Videl, and his mother, Chi-Chi rising in ire. He couldn't help but smile. Ever since his son, Medon had begun to walk he had been a handful. He had literally gotten into almost everything in the house and the few things he hadn't, he was certainly working on.  
  
Another loud crash signaled it was time for Gohan to take a break from his work. He had a lecture next week and was trying to get everything in order, with all the chaos though it just wasn't going to happen. Rising to his feet, and stretching, his tense muscles relaxing a bit. He had just turned forty this year, and was just beginning to feel the creep of age in his bones. It he had continued to train constantly, he'd probably still be in the same shape he was in shortly after he battled against Majinn Buu. Gohan's life had changed though. He had for all intents and purposes given up fighting, except for the incidents three years ago with Bebi, Super 17, and the evil Shenron's things had been quite peaceful as well.  
  
He had taken up some training again though. In those recent battles, he had found out just how much his power had decreased. The unlocking of his power by the Rou Kaioshin had stayed with him for many years, but through his lack of participation in martial competition, he had dropped down far below that level. To even stand a chance he had been required to transform into a Super Sayai-jin, and his power had still been lower then against Buu. So in the years since then he had kept in shape and helped Pan train for her bouts in the Tenkaichi Bodoukai. It had gotten him back up to speed more or less, especially for these times of peace. It also allowed him more then enough time to work. Of course work and play had all taken a backseat to family life once Medon had begun working. His youngest child, born a year after his father's disappearance would have made Goku proud. The boy was a bouncing ball of life, exploring and in some cases eating everything he could. Removing his glasses, Gohan gave a small sigh, things were good, but he still felt like something was missing. He would figure out what someday, pushing the thoughts aside he turned to leave his study.  
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Videl made a dive in an attempt to catch her fleeing son. Laughing loudly the two year old made a sharp turn to the left around an end table. His mother had been one of the strongest female fighters in the world though for sometime, escape was not so easy. Her hand shot out to the side, slender fingers hooking in the waistband of the diaper he was wearing. Her grip was strong, but unfortunately the diaper itself wasn't, the material tearing free as she thumped heavily onto the ground.  
  
Medon stopped only a moment, the now naked child, regarding his mother with large lavender eyes for a split second before his mouth opened again in laughter. His arms once again going out to the side to help with his balance he ran off for another part of the house, to young to have any shame in his nudity.  
  
The only glimpse Gohan had of his son when he came out of his study was the sight of his bare bottom disappearing up the stairs. He found himself biting his lower lip to stop himself from laughing as he watched his wife slowly get to her feet, mumbling beneath her breath. A barrage of new noise from upstairs meant that Medon had most likely run into a trap of some sort, from either his sister or Chi-Chi.  
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Medon had charged right up the stairs into the waiting arms of his grandmother. Chi-Chi and Videl had been after him for the better part of thirty minutes in an attempt to get him into the tub. He didn't mind losing his pants, the little boy actually preferred to be free to the world, but he sure wasn't going into the water without a fight. The elder woman reached down for the child just as he came up to the top of the stairs and saw her. She found out why Sayai-jin children were sent to take out entire planets by themselves a second later as with a giggle, he dove onto all fours and scrambled right between her legs. Even at a young age they were fast and able to adapt to a challenge. Her teeth gritting together in annoyance, Chi-Chi watched her grandson, pop back up to his feet and turn around to face her.  
  
Medon gave a little smile and waved to his grandmother. She was still bent over from her attempt to catch him and watching from him between her legs. He really had little concept of the trouble he was in, to him this was just a game. He figured it would go on until they got tired and then he could just run around naked for the rest of the night. On impulse he thought of his sister in her room studying for school. He had seen her participate in games like this with the men she would play with in the big ring that his Grandpa Satan was always showing them. He tapped his head with a pudgy baby finger in thought, trying to recall what she did to make the game longer. It came to him just as Chi-Chi stood up straight and turned around. Pulling his eyelid down, Medon fixed his eyes upon his grandmother. Making sure she was fully paying attention before he stuck his tongue out at her.  
  
"Blah blah blah."  
  
The expression on her face sent him into another fit of giggles. That was until he saw her eyebrows come together in a point over her nose.   
  
"Uh oh.."  
  
"Uh oh is right young man. You come over here this instant."  
  
Chi-Chi pointed to the spot before her, her voice was firm and commanding. She had found quite quickly, that if she just yelled at Medon as she had done with her husband and two sons, the little boy would simply turn and run for his life.   
  
With a sigh, small kick at the ground, Medon went over to his grandmother. He lowered his eyes to the ground as he stopped in front of her. Giving a little sniffle and wipe at his nose he shifted his weight from foot to foot, waiting for her to say more.  
  
Chi-Chi had never been able to stay angry with her grandson when he had given her this treatment. She had lost most of her temper when Goku had left this last time, and she had realized she would probably never see her husband again. With a sight she gathered the little boy up in her arms, heading towards the upstairs bathroom with him.  
  
"Now I'm not mad at you, but where did you see someone do that?  
  
"Sistie did it!"  
  
Medon smiled and wrapped his arms around his grandmother's neck. He was glad she wasn't mad at him. Course his mother still was, but grandma would protect him, and if he played his cards right she'd probably feed him to.  
  
"Did she? Well we'll go have a little talk with her after your bath."  
  
"Okies!"  
  
Chi-Chi could only smile as she went into the bathroom to run her grandson's bath. The little boy still with his arms around her neck, and rubbing his soft cheek against her own while chatting on about a number of things that toddlers found interesting, most of his words only fragments, but more for his amusement then her own.  
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Gohan came up behind his wife, slipping a strong arm around her waist. She gave a slight start, her thin shoulders jumping, then relaxed as she realized whom it was. The chase after Medon had gotten her adrenaline pumping and she was just starting to calm down. She turned around halfway to give a smile to her husband, covering his hand with her own and giving it a soft squeeze.  
  
"So Daddy decided to come out after we manage to catch him for bath time huh?"  
  
"No, that's not it. I'm just so confident in your abilities as an exceptional mother, and my own mom, that I know I would just get in the way."  
  
Videl gave a soft laugh and tapped Gohan lightly on the tip of his nose with her index finger.  
  
"Better be careful, you keep that up we'll end up knee deep in it."  
  
"True, but did it work?"  
  
She didn't speak her response, instead pressing her lips to his. She loved her husband deeply, and these little moments of peace together with him seemed far too rare. Pan was fifteen years old, she could take care of herself, but Medon needed almost constant looking after, and with Gohan working all the time, they very rarely had any private time.  
  
A yelp and splash upstairs from the bathroom ended the brief interlude of peace into their live. Reluctantly Videl broke the kiss and closing her eyes, patted Gohan on the chest.  
  
"Seems he wanted company in the tub again. I better go help."  
  
Gohan sighed and gave a nod, he had to get back to work anyway.  
  
"Let me know when you are ready to put him down for the night, I want to tuck him in."  
  
"He likes you to read his bedtime stories anyway, it's the only way he's willing to go to bed."  
  
Videl gave her husband another quick kiss on the cheek before turning to go up the stairs to assist her mother-in-law. Her son's laughter increasing in volume as she left her husband standing alone in the living room.  
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Returning to his study, Gohan shut the door behind him. He didn't go right back to his desk but instead sat in the plush recliner that was positioned by the window, looking out to the night sky. He still felt that splinter in his mind that he couldn't put his finger on.  
  
He should have been perfectly happy. He had an incredibly beautiful and loving wife. Two perfect children, he couldn't have been any prouder of Pan, and Medon was so full of life. They were also comfortable in the way of money, as a scholar he made enough for them all to be comfortable.  
  
Even with all that, he felt ill at ease. Even the moment in the living room with Videl hadn't helped it go away. Setting his chin into the palm of his hand Gohan stared out the window. In the darkness of his study he could only wonder what the future held.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
